Cigarette filler composition



Sept. 12, 1961 M. M. MARKS CIGARETTE FILLER COMPOSITION INVENTOR. Mornmer M. Marks WZW m ATTORNEY 2,999,775 CIGARETTE FILLER COWOSI'HON Mortimer M. Marks, 166-25 Cryders Lane, Whitestone, N.Y. Fiied May 21, 1957, Ser. No. 660,459 3 Claims. ((11. 131-17) This invention relates to a tobacco filler for use in the manufacture of cigarettes, and specifically to a filler which will reduce the burning temperature of the cigarette during its consumption.

Research indicates that there is a causal connection between the temperature of the gases inhaled during the smoking of cigarettes and the incidence of lung cancer. It appears that there are chemical components present in tobacco which volatilize, at the relatively high temperatures achieved during the burning of presently known cigarettes. It has also been found that the lower burning temperatures achieved during the smoking of cigars or pipes produce considerably less of the dangerous chemical components and are less harmful to the smoker, as the incidence of lung cancer is considerably less with smokers of pipes and cigars.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a novel additive or filler for cigarette tobacco mixture which will reduce the burning temperatures thereof.

Another object is the use of a filler in conjunction with tobacco that will reduce the burning temperature to the point where objectionable chemical components which have a high vapor pressure evaporate to a lesser extent, thereby substantially eliminating or dimishing the presence of the harmful chemicals in the tobacco smoke.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a filler which will be inert and will not give off harmful products of combustion.

Another object is to provide a more inexpensive tobacco mixture.

A further object is to provide a filler which can be mixed with the tobacco without changing the flavor or the appearance of the finished product.

A feature of the present invention is the use of flakelike particles mixed with the tobacco for reducing the temperature of the mixture when burned.

Another feature is its randomizing of flake-like structures within the tobacco mixture for the purpose of creating labyrinth-like paths through which the air must pass.

Another feature is the use of colored flake glass or like particles which will have the appearance of tobacco shreds.

In the accompanying drawing FIGURE 1 is a view in side elevation of a cigarette made in accordance with the present invention partially broken away to show the construction thereof. FIGURE 2 is a greatly enlarged View of a portion of the broken away sedtion of FIGURE 1, showing the disposition of the glass flake within the tobacco mixture.

Referring to the drawing, It indicates a cigarette formed by wrapping a foil of paper it about a suitable tobacco mixture 12.

In one preferred form of the present invention thin flakes of glass, mica or other materials 14 inert at the burning temperature of the cigarette composition material, having a thickness of one to two ten-thousandths of an inch, and a dimension of approximately that or" the size of the tobacco particles used in the cigarette, e.g. from five to twenty-five-thousandths of an inch, are intermixed with the tobacco fibers 13. Flakes or fiakelets of glass or mica 14 of this order have a comparatively large area to mass ratio. It has been found that these 2 flakes 14 cling to the surfaces of the tobacco fiber 13 or particles, and partially prevent air indicated by the dashed lines 15, in FIGURE 2 from reaching them. The tobacco is thus partially and effectively surrounded, so that air is retarded in its passage to the burning fibers.

In addition, the glass particles 14 act as a heat sink and thus absorb part of the heat produced by the burning, and thereby prevent the temperature from reaching the maximum normally obtained within a cigarette.

Suitable mixtures for use in conjunction with cigarettes have been formed by combining 5 to 25 parts of glass or mica flakes with every one hundred total parts of tobacco and glass flake. it is to be understood that these proportions may be varied considerably, depending upon the area of the flake employed, as well as the degree of diminution of temperature it is desired to achieve. The flake is combined with the tobacco by tumbling or some other convenient mixing method and the entire composition used in the well known way to manufacture cigarettes.

The use of flake glass 14 is particularly desirable in conjunction with the present invention, since such material has been proven to be harmless when taken orally. In addition, flake glass will not melt at the burning temperature of the cigarette 10, and will not affect the appearance of the cigarette as to "the color of the ash. Where desired, the glass may be colored to match that of the tobacco, and such brown colored glass is well nown in the art. The glass flake Will not be volatilized above the burning temperature of the tobacco, and the nature and qualities of the tobacco smoke will not be altered by the presence of the glass flake, except as to the elimination of the high volatiles which are harmful.

As a further advantage of the compositions made in accordmce with the above disclosure, it has been ob served that the ash from a cigarette made with glass flake clings together more satisfactorily than is the case with presently known tobacco mixtures. The glass flakes serve as a binder for the ash, and the untidy byproducts of smoking may therefore be disposed of in a neater manner.

Flake particles present within the mixture form a partially air-impervious wall around which the air and smoke must pass in getting through the'cigarette. This labyrinth-like effect reduces the temperature of combustion and cools the smoke before it reaches the throat of the consumer.

in the preparation of the tobacco mixture with the flakes, the glass or mica flake can be broken up as by grinding, and thereafter sifted to select flakes of the desired size, namely of the order of one-quarter of a millimeter in diameter. Thereafter the flakes can be mixed with the tobacco in the above-described manner.

From the foregoing, it will be seen that there has been provided a tobacco, inert flake, composition which will reduce the burning temperature of the tobacco fibers during the smoking of a cigarette and thereby greatly reduce the danger to the consumer from. volatile materials entering the throat and lungs of the smoker, as a result of said combustion.

Having thus fully described the invention, what is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent of the United States, is:

l. A low burning temperature tobacco mixture comprising tobacco fibers and a plurality of glass flakes inert at the tobacco burning temperature and having a thickness of the order of .0001 of an inch and a Width in the order of the diameter of the tobacco fibers intermixed with said fibers to form a plurality of air retarding baffles Within the mixture to reduce the temperature of combustion therein, said glass flakes consisting of at least 5% but a minor proportion of the tobacco mixture.

2. A low burning temperature tobacco mixture comprising tobacco fibers and a plurality of glass flakes inert at the tobacco burning temperatures, said flakes having a thickness of approximately one to two ten-thousandths of an inch and a width of from five to tWenty-five-thousandths of an inch intermixed with said fibers to form a plurality of air retarding bafiles within the mixture to reduce the temperature of the combustion therein, said flakes comprising not less than 5% nor more than 25% of the mixture.

3. A low burning temperature tobacco mixture comprising tobacco fibers and a plurality of mica flakes inert at the tobacco burning temperature and having a thickness of the order of .0001 of an inch and a Width in the order of the diameter of the tobacco fibers intermixed with said fibers to form a plurality of air retarding bafiles within the mixture to reduce the temperature of combustion therein, said mica flakes consisting of at least 5% but a minor proportion of the tobacco mixture.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNIT ED STATES PATENTS 1,972,718 Sharlit Sept. 4, 1934 2,307,088 Whiteley Jan. 5, 1943 2,327,991 Betts'; Aug. 31, 1943 2,592,554 Frankenburg Apr. 15, 1952 FOREIGN PATENTS 127,245 Switzerland Aug. 16, 1928 626,721 France May 21, 1927 OTHER REFERENCES Time (pub.), April 22, 1957, p. 50, Making Cigarettes Safe.

Websters New International Dictionary, 2nd. Edition, published 1937 by G. and C. Merriam Co., Springfield, Mass, page 960. 

1. A LOW BURNING TEMPERATURE TOBACCO MIXTURE COMPRISING TOBACCO FIBERS AND A PLURALITY OF GLASS FLAKES INSERT AT THE TOBACCO BURNING TEMPERATURE AND HAVING A THICKNESS OF THE ORDER OF .0001 OF AN INCH AND A WIDTH IN THE ORDER OF THE DIAMETER OF THE TOBACCO FIBERS INTERMIXED WITH SAID FIBERS TO FORM A PLURALITY OF AIR RETARDING BAFFLES WITHIN THE MIXTURE TO REDUCE THE TEMPERATURE OF COMBUSTION THEREIN, SAID GLASS FLAKES CONSISTING OF AT LEAST 5% BUT A MINOR PROPORTION OF THE TOBACCO MIXTURE. 